


Shattering Silence

by thewritingamateur



Category: Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Abuse of Authority, Alternate Universe - 1980s, Dark Romance, Domestic Violence, F/M, Gambling, Heavy Angst, Historical, Interracial Relationship, Physical Abuse, Police, Short Story, Violence, Whump, corrupt government
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26952133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewritingamateur/pseuds/thewritingamateur
Summary: New York City 1987Abigail thought her fairy tale came in the form of police captain Victor Alvarez, protecting her from all the evils the streets of New York has to offer.What she didn't realize was that he was what she needed protection from.
Relationships: Abigail Maharaj & Victor Alvarez
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12





	1. Part 0: Where We Are Now

Sirens blared throughout the streets of Kingsbridge late at night, something which was uncommon for the residents. Police cars and EMTs surrounded one house, an upstanding one. If any were to ask the neighbors, none knew what had happened, that house was usually quiet, the family who lived there was considered golden, like from those family sitcoms.

Getting out of the patrol car, Officer Reynolds walked towards one of his colleagues who was at the scene first, "What happened over here?"

"There seems to be a domestic disturbance in the household, according to the emergency call line the caller said there was a bit of blood, and that children were present in the home."

_"How many?"_

"Three"

Reynolds looked at the house, there was a familiarity to it, "What did the neighbors say?"

"Nothing much, just that this is a nice family but usually keep to themselves. The man is a police captain and the wife was a homemaker."

"Captain? What's the last name?"

"Alvarez"

Eyes of the older officer widened, "Shit, that's the Captain of the Baychester homicide precinct! We need to call them and let them know of the situation. We'll enter and handle the issue, but just in case they should be notified about their boss." The younger officer nodded and did as he was told, Reynolds raised his police cap a little swiping his forehead. Motioning two officers to follow him, he went by the door and turned the knob, it was locked.   
  
  


"Hello? Is anyone in there?" There was a muffled voice heard on the other side, probably far away. Giving the signal, he and his men heaved at the door, knocking it out three times. The house was immaculate in the front, like a picture from a magazine. 

Taking out their guns, they threaded along with the premises slowly, they split, until along the line of the stairs, there was a trail of droplets of blood. Silently, they followed the trail into the master bedroom. Voices were becoming clearer, anger was heard from one person; there was no other.

Knocking on the door, Reynolds made himself known, "This is Officer Reynolds, please open the door for me."   
  
  


The door was heard to unlock and the men decided to see what all the fuss was about.   
  
  
  
  
  


It was not anything like that they had seen or thought of before.   
  
  


None knew what to do, except wait; wait to see what the captain's men wanted to be done. 


	2. Part 1: First Meeting

The smell of rain overtook the dusky police station, squeaking shoes met with the floor carrying water. It was looking to be another long night for the officers on duty, but not for police lieutenant Victor Alvarez. He was thankful for finally getting off early after two weeks of nonstop cases to deal with the Bronx precinct. Coffee wasn't sustaining him anymore, the effects wore off within the first three days. Sleep was all he craved for the moment. After he would head to his mother's to catch up and have a hearty breakfast he missed for so long.   
  
  


The migraine he had begun to increase as he walked into the office with several people causing chaos; most being perps trying to get off for whatever petty crimes they did or people complaining about superficial issues which wouldn't matter in a few days. He headed to his desk to put things in order and clock out. At the desk across from him, he noticed a girl trembling, head down being covered by her dark hair. Eyes trailed up her bare legs until the cloth of her dress, which was damp, covered her smooth tanned skin.   
  
  


He remembered 40 minutes before seeing the same figure sitting there, quietly. It was normal for people to stay at the station long, especially making a complaint about how busy things would usually get. He was sure Romero had gotten caught up settling down a perp and forgotten about the girl.   
  
  


Alvarez looked up at the clock; if he left now he would catch up on his favorite show and get some rest. She was still in his eye line, guilt had hit him hard. Clearing his throat, he walked over the few steps, taking a seat at Romero's desk.   
  
  


"Mam, are you alright?" She looked up quickly at him, eyes reddened from tears. They were beautiful, a shade of amber and brown mixed together. She tried to give a nod, but it was obvious she was not fine. The girl tried to push the hair out of her face, showing off the rest of her oval features. Her eyelashes were long and thick, like her hair, the nose was small but delicate. Although chapped her lips were a decent size, small but heart-shaped. She was pretty but young, way too young for him.   
  
  


She sniffled, and out of the manners, his mother taught him he had given her a tissue.

"I was mugged, down in Baychester around 6 pm." Her voice was soft, formal. By her accent, she wasn't from this area, but from what he knew it was a refined Queens accent which made him question why she would be here. She hugged herself as she explained the situation. Nodding, he went through the motions to grab the form to write a report. There was a high chance of her not getting the stuff again, but he wanted to know more about her, even for the few minutes.  
  
  


"Did you by chance see who had taken it?" Shaking her head she continued, "No, I only saw what he was wearing. It was a green muscle tee and dark sweats. I think he was also wearing a gray hoodie but it all happened so fast I can't remember. I'm sorry." She finally looked him in the eyes, her worry evident.   
  
  


"It's alright, it's good you saw most of what he was wearing even without his face. How far was this happening from here?"

"About two blocks, in front of the deli on the corner. I only found this place from the owner when I cried hysterically about it."   
  
  


"That's even better, I know the owner and he has cameras. If they are working, we can probably find your stuff in no time. What did he take from you?"   
  
  


"My purse, it had everything my wallet, makeup, house keys. I just hope he doesn't try to come to my house." Even if it was unusual for him, he put a hand on her shoulder, "Most of the time they wouldn't go to the person's home, so I wouldn't worry about that. How about we fill out this report first and then you can head on home, okay?" She nodded her head, looking down at her hands.   
  


"I don't know how I'll be reaching home." His lips thinned into a line, "Is there anyone you can call?"   
  
  


The look she gave him revealed everything, a small smile emerged on his face; the first one in days. "How old are you?"   
  
  


"Nineteen" Alright, being sixteen years younger than him wasn't bad. It was odd she looked younger than that.   
  
  


"Let me guess, you still live with your parents and went somewhere you weren't supposed to go" 

"Yes, I figure I'm old enough working and attending school why can't I go as I please? I guess my mother was right, again."   
  
  


"Yes, I recall all my mistakes being predicted by my mother beforehand. Trust me, mothers are always right." She looked at him, even if she didn't smile he knew she wanted to.   
  
  


"What's your name?" A blue pen was at hand ready to write down her information.

"Abigail Maharaj"

"Address?" For about ten minutes the back and forth of questions and answers went on for. When it was done he stacked the papers together, "I'll put this through and we will be on the lookout for your items. You can expect a call hopefully soon."   
  
  


Her face was still sullen, and he could predict why. The clock above them said 9 p.m., and if he guessed correctly her parents would be upset about her being gone for so long, and probably without a phone call.   
  
  


"Do you have a friend you can call?" Abigail shook her head, "No, all are in Queens, and probably wouldn't answer this time of night."   
  
  


"You should call your parents."   
  
  


"They'll be more than upset."

"They will, but they'll also be happy you are safe." She knew that the officer was right, even if she didn't want to admit it.   
  
  


"How about this, give your parents a call right now and I'll see what I can do" She did as he told her, which wasn't surprising. Usually, he would be rougher with people, but she wasn't guilty of anything serious, just scared like a deer in the headlights.   
  
  


Coming back from putting the report away, he saw her still sitting down, face still sullen. "Did they take the news well?"

"Well, I suppose underneath all their yelling they were happy to know I was alright. I just need to find a way home."  
  
  


He leaned at the edge of his own desk, crossing his arms showing his biceps taunt under his white button-down.   
  
  


"If I say I can drop you home, would you give me a smile?" Her eyes widened while her brows creased together.   
  
  


"A face like yours should never have a frown, come on give me a nice smile." She bit her lip instead, which did more to him than he realized. "I'm not sure I really can, today was too overwhelming for me, I'm sorry."   
  
  


He looked down, but the smile was still on his face. "That's too bad since I'll still give you a ride home and all."

"You don't have to, I live far. Maybe if I can borrow some bus money I can find my way home."   
  
  


He shook his head, "No, the night is worse than the day. I'm an officer it's my job to protect you. You're only payment would be to just give me a smile when we see each other again."   
  
  


She was going to question when that would be but pushed it to the back of her mind. He ushered her to get up and follow him, to his pleasure she did just that without any more questions.   
  
  


With the issue settled, Alvarez managed to leave the office at 9:20, record time in the past month.


	3. Part 2: Sparks Fly

One Week Later   
  
  


Victor parked his car two feet from his destination, happy to see his brother after two months. It wasn't because of his busy schedule as much as how far he lived out in Queens. Their mother was upset hearing that one of her children wanted to leave the nest so far away, but Victor had to admit his brother's house was decent. That was surprising seeing he lived close to the highway and JFK, expecting it to be a bit busier than it was.

He didn't have to wait to ring the doorbell, his niece Sara jumped out at him with the door open, "Uncle Vic!" He picked up the six-year-old into his arms and hugged her. It was a wonder she even remembered him seeing how little he's around.  
  
  


Victor's mother would always hound him about settling down and having children. It wasn't that he didn't want to do that, but there wasn't any time. His last relationship was two years before and his mother hated that they lived together without being married, being the strict Catholic she was. He remembered the joy his mother had when they had broken up, which was only because he found out then-girlfriend was cheating on him with the plumber in his own home.   
  
  


That ticked him off to a whole different level, he was never disrespected like that in his life. How dare she make a fool of him in that way? He was put off of being in a relationship since then, but Victor knew settling down would be the answer for him.   
  
  


"What you dressed up so pretty for?"

The young girl giggled, "We're going to the neighborhood block party! It's so much fun and I get to see my friends." Victor had no clue there was going to be a party, maybe he should leave.

Rafael finally came out to greet his younger brother, "Hey! Long time no see man, never thought you'd actually make it today" A small smile emerged on the younger's face, "Yea, I suppose so. What's this thing about a party though, I thought it would just be us today?"  
  
  


His brother gave a small sigh, "Sorry I forgot to tell you. Every summer the neighborhood works together to have this party, just so we get along with one another. Sara and her mom love going to it and I can't say I'm not going either. I mean I like it and all but knowing you're here now I just wanna grab a few beers and hit back."   
  
  


Victor shook his head, "Nah, don't worry about it, Raf. Anyway, I've always been curious about people down on this side, it's like we're from different worlds. I wouldn't mind meeting your neighbors, making sure my family is living with good people."   
  
  


With that said, he helped with carrying some food out of the area of the party. They were in front of a house, which he had to admit was the nicest on the block. It wasn't extravagant in any way, but it looked quaint (a word that Victor knew he used for the first time) and homely. The idyllic white picket surrounded the off-white two-story home, a pastel-colored wreath hung in front of the door as a welcoming for visitors. 

There was a group of people there, laughing as they were getting the food together. Sara decided to go away from her uncle and father. Victor was going to tell her to come back but his brother stopped him, "Don't worry she knows them. When Louise and I are busy working, their daughter usually watches Sara, a nice girl."   
  
  


Sara, with her little body, pulled the hand of a girl, who was well over a decade older. She was short, wearing flats that complimented her off the shoulder yellow floral dress. The girl's hair was lightly curled, framing her face nicely.   
  
  


When she looked up his eyes widened seeing who it was, that girl from the night last week, how could he forget?   
  
  


When he drove her home she made him stop a block or two before, much to his refusal. She was nice to talk to, something he wasn't able to do in a while. If he was thinking about it properly he could've crashed at his brother's that night.   
  
  


"Abby, this is my Uncle Vic! He's a police officer in the Bronx." The young female looked at him, before smiling at him.   
  
  


And damn, she had a beautiful smile.   
  
  


"Lieutenant Alverez, it's nice to see you again." He returned the smile, "Oh, good news. We were able to find who had taken your stuff, a repeating offender. We were able to retrieve your items, but we'll need you to come to the station to verify everything is there. I would've called you last night but seeing how far you live...it wasn't the smartest decision."   
  
  
  
  
  


Abigail was happy to hear that her stuff was found, but he was right she wasn't sure of how she would get there. "Thank you so much! It really means a lot to know you guys found my stuff."   
  
  


"No problem, glad to help. If you're free this week, I can take you"

"N-no, that would be too much to ask, but thank you for the offer."   
  
  


Rafael watched the interaction between his brother and Abigail, knowing that something was up. He never saw his brother like this before, openly flirt with a girl this young. He knew his brother meant no harm, but having this girl grow up in front of him, it did feel weird. It was nice to see his brother this happy, but still, even as a police officer, he knew this was a bit odd.   
  
  
  
  
  


He pulled his brother aside, "Not to rain on your parade or anything, but that girl over more than fifteen years younger than you, do you want to lose your badge?" Victor gave him a smirk, "She's legal Raf. Besides I wouldn't lose my badge for anything, you know that." The younger brother turned back to the girl, who became busy again with his niece.   
  
  


"You should've introduced me earlier, you know my type." Although Rafael loved his bother, there was something dark hidden in that statement. Of course, being Victor's brother, he chose to ignore it and let him do what he wanted. Since they were children Vic would always get what he wanted.   
  
  


Towards the evening all the neighbors were packed in the street, the barbeque ready with hot dogs and hamburgers. Music was blaring through the speakers, a mixture of Latin pop and calypso. Everyone was dancing and having fun, catching up with formalities.   
  
  


As things started to get slow, the groups got smaller and the songs got slower. Everyone was dancing with one another, particularly all the men were dancing with the same girl. Even in his own corner with his brother and friends, Victor couldn't help but watch the girl. She was bubbly with everyone, even with her demure manner. Wanting to make his move, he walked confidently towards her as she was taking a cup of punch whilst talking with another girl.   
  
  
  
  
  


"Excuse me for one moment," both girls turned to look at him, " I just wanted to know if you would give me the honor to have a dance with me, Abigail" She looked at him, covering her face with the cup at hand. Her brown eyes sparkled, an open smile showing off perfect teeth, but there was something behind it.   
  
  


"I would love to, but I promised the next dance to Rick. Excuse me." She put her cup down and moved past him to another man. There was a knowing smile on his face as he saw her dancing with the other man; he noticed when she would take a glance at him too.   
  
  


He wasn't going to give up just yet. After that dance, he kept pestering her for three more dances, until she finally said yes. They danced close together whispering nonsense about the song being played. It was by Air Supply, the "Romantic Duo" as Abigail had put them. They spent the rest of the night talking, Victor was quite the charmer.   
  
  


He convinced her to go out to dinner after retrieving her items at the station. He was sweet to her, lighting combing her hair out of her face, dazzling eyes shining in the sapphire sky. When he was leaving, he kissed her on her cheek, whispering in her ear how beautiful she looked.   
  
  
  
  
  


Abigail went to bed that night dreaming of the white knight in the form of Victor Alverez. Maybe losing her purse was a good thing after all.


	4. Part 3: True Colors

It was midnight, the sky was clear, and barely anyone decent out in the streets. Abigail had only now reached home after a study group with some classmates; her parents weren't upset as long as she had her keys and didn't make too much noise. 

Standing on her porch, she rolled her neck around a little before looking for her keys. She pulled them out her heart dropped hearing the surge of footsteps coming from behind. 

She turned around, eyes widened seeing who it was, Victor. He was now right in front of her, both hands on the front door, preventing her from moving. 

"Victor, what are you doing here this time of night?" 

"Shouldn't I be asking why you're out so late? Where were you, on some date with another guy?" Shaking her head, Abigail knew it was better to keep quiet. 

"You've been ignoring my calls, so I had to come to see what was it that kept you so busy for these past few weeks." 

"We're done. We broke up months ago." 

"No, we're NOT!" He slammed his hand on the door. She flinched seeing how close it was to her face. 

"L-look, what I do in my life, Victor, is my business, not yours. I'm sorry if you don't see it that way, but you'll move on eventually." His hands went to her shoulders now, squeezing them tightly, "Abby, you know I love you, right? I'm sorry for what I did. I promised you it wouldn't happen again, didn't I? it was just a bad night for me, that's all. Can't you see how much I love you? I can't be without you. Please, come back." 

She looked down to her feet, contemplating what he had said. For the eight months they were together for the most part Victor was good to her, maybe a bit possessive at times but nothing too serious, until that night. 

She remembered it clearly.

~~~ 

_ They were going to head on a date, well a group date, with some of his colleagues. Since she was crunching on time with school and work, her only option was to dress up hours beforehand. She wore a denim blue off the shoulder blouse and a black pencil skirt. When looking at herself in the mirror, she felt like an adult, putting on her dark heels.  _

_ She agreed to meet Victor at the destination, but of course, there was no way for her to reach that side of the Bronx without traveling or getting a ride. Thankfully for her, a friend from work agreed to drop her off. He had been her friend for years, and she was thankful for his kindness. When he dropped her off that evening, she saw that Victor was waiting for her, a grey suit, and a plum button-down. His tie matching his shirt, which was accented with a shade of gold. His hair was tousled a bit, but she liked it that way, usually running her hands through his soft locks. He hadn't shaved in some time, his beard starting to grow out a little, but he liked himself cleanly shaven, so she knew it was only a matter of time before he would get tired of it.  _

_ Before getting out of the car, she hugged her friend, Daryll " Thanks so much again, I owe you one."  _

_ "Lunch tomorrow would be fine. You know I love some sloppy joes." She laughed, exiting the car, walking straight towards Victor, who didn't seem to be too pleased.  _

_ "Hey there, how was your day?" He looked down at her, but instead of answering her, he walked away, closed off from her. He was never like this before, so it alarmed her seeing the change of attitude. Abigail would've asked about it, but she knew it wasn't the time nor place.  _

_ To her, their time there was not too bad. She got along with all of his colleagues and was quick to match their wit. All but Victor ended the day laughing, who escorted her to his car. They drove to his home in silence, the first since they met. She wanted to ask him what had happened, but by his face, it seemed like he wouldn't give the answer she wanted.  _

_ When entering his apartment, he kicked off his shoes to it's designated corner as she took off hers. He headed to the kitchen and opened his top cabinet, grabbing a bottle of whiskey, taking swigs from it. She had never seen him drink before, and not knowing what type of drunk he was scared her. Her own family didn't drink, mostly due to alcoholism running on her mother's side of the family.  _

_ Abigail decided to also walk to the kitchen, filling the kettle with water to boil. Feeling eyes on her, she looked back at him, brown eyes staring at her harshly.  _

_ "Victor, is everything alright?" For the first time in hours, he finally gave her eye contact, "Why are you wearing this?" Her eyebrows creased together, "This? It's because you told me about that get-together."  _

_ "No, you don't have to wear such tight clothes in front of my friends. You look like a slut." Her eyes widened at his remark. How dare he call her that? They never even had sex, so what would make him call her such a name? "I never wore this for your friends. I wore it for you. I thought that you would like it." Her voice became small, not wanting him to yell at her; she saw how he would get angry with suspects at the station, and she knew it wasn't something to receive.  _

_ "You sure you wore it for me? It wasn't for that guy who was in the car? He sure seemed happy with you."  _

_ "Who, Daryll? He's a classmate of mine who offered to drop me off since you couldn't." _

_ "So wait, now you're blaming me? I've been working my ass off day in and out, making money for our future and you're out there slutting yourself around to every Tom, Dick, and Daryll?" _

_ She had enough. Abigail had more dignity than to accept what he was saying about her. He knew what type of woman she was, and if he couldn't discern it, then maybe it was time to move on.  _

_ "Forget it, believe whatever you want. I don't care." She rolled her eyes and began to walk away from the situation.  _

_ "Don't you walk away from me!" He then pushed her harshly onto the wall, her face in between his hand and the wall. He turned her around, with his face close to hers. "Don't ever do that again." _

_ She tried to push him away to no avail. _

_ "How is it that you're going to push me away but not Micky when you guys were dancing earlier?" _

_ She shook her head, "What are you talking about? When I asked you, there wasn't even a response. He was kind enough to accompany me instead. Don't get angry with me because of your own choices." _

_ Abigail saw his hand coming towards her, but it never registered in her mind fast enough that he would hit her with it. The shock was what she first felt as she landed harshly on the ground, her hand instantly going towards her left cheek, which was starting to swell. _

_ "I'll only tell you this once; f you ever disrespect me like that in front of my men again, it wouldn't just be a slap you're getting." She watched with wide eyes as he walked off into his bedroom, too scared to move. _

_ It took a good five minutes before taking action of icing her face. The last thing she wanted was her parents questioning what had happened. Even the notion of her staying at his house for too long bothered them, let alone staying overnight. _

_ Abigail found herself in front of the black television screen with crossed legs and a large ice pack on her face. This was not how she intended the night to go. _

_ Victor sat next to his girlfriend as he put on the television and slung an arm around her, acting as if nothing had happened within the last hour by his own hands. She didn't say anything though, not knowing what would come of it.  _

_ The next day when she was in the protection of her own home, she called and told him it was done. Her parents raised her to know better than letting a man put his hands on her. _

_ What Abigail wasn't expecting was hearing Victor cry over the phone, begging her for forgiveness, and wanting her to stay. _

_ That may have been the only time she was strong with refusing to get back with him.  _

~~~

That was two months ago, and since that night, he has done nothing but harass her to no end. She would've called the police, but what good would that do? He was one of them; nothing would happen.

"Come on baby, you know I would never really hurt you like that." His hand went straight to her cheek, lightly touching it as he pulled her face closer to his. Kisses fluttered along her jawline, "Sin tu amor la vida no vale la pena." (Without your love, the world doesn't mean a thing). She felt blood rush to her cheeks, hearing his sweet nothings in her ear. It was a good thing she learned Spanish back in high school.

Abigail's immediate family wasn't really connected to their 'mother culture', unlike all of their other extended families. Although her family was from the Caribbean, some of her relatives believed that they had to hold onto the culture of India. Ironically, none had ever really visited nor known the culture of the "mother country", yet wanted to hold into it so badly. Everything was through the movies. The world of Bollywood and intrigue of the Indian culture was just never there, but she was taught by her parents to be open to other cultures. If Abigail never said her last name and would speak Spanish to another person, they would think she was Spanish. It wasn't untrue. Her grandfather was from Brazil, so there was a trace of Hispanic heritage in her. 

"Te ame desde el momento en que puse mis ojos en ti" (I loved you from the moment I first laid eyes on you)

If Victor kept on telling her these romantic lines, she knew herself well enough to give into him, which wasn't what she wanted. 

She pushed him away one more time, and she was thankful he didn't continue.

"You can say all the sweet words in the world to me, but it's not going to change anything. Good night Victor" Abigail took advantage of his shock and entered the house. Her body shuddered, realizing that he wasn't going to stop any time soon. 

On the other side of the door stood a now angry Victor. How dare she say no to him? His jaw ticked, thinking of what she was doing earlier, probably out on a date with a guy closer to her age. He was going to win her back, Victor Alvarez never lost, and he wasn't going to start now. 

Once he had her in his grasp again, he'll make sure to never let her go.


	5. Part 4 : Reconcile

August 6, 1988

The scorching sun was hitting directly into Abigail's eye line, having to cover her eyes with her hands to see better. It was her day off, and she decided to head out into the city, just one free day for herself. She decided to head to the East Village, a coworker telling her about the shops that would interest her, vintage shops. 

Unfamiliar with the area, it wasn't until midday when she reached her destination. Although she's a New Yorker, most of her world was in the streets of Queens, hence why she would often get herself lost without someone who knew the area; most of the time, it was her dad who worked in the city for the last 20 years. The only other person she had gone to the city with was Victor when they were together. 

Her head shook with the memory of her old lover. It would be a lie if she said she didn't miss him, with his big brown eyes, thick eyebrows, and sensual lips. When he would smile at her, she could remember the shape his lips would make and the slight dimple on his left cheek. Sadly, along with the memory of his beautiful face was the remembrance of that night. 

With a few bags at hand, she decided to find somewhere to grab a bite, nowhere special. Her friend also talked about the park. Tompkins Square Park was a nice spot to sit down and enjoy the beauty of nature in a city atmosphere. She had decided to head there before leaving, hoping to take a picture or two.

What Abigail wasn't expecting was to see havoc ensue before her eyes. There were shouting and signs; physical violence by different people. Homeless people were fighting with police officers, protesters screaming for the beatings to stop. She saw batons used, the surging of people to collide with one another. 

Never in all her years had she seen such violence. Fear overcame her once again. Instead of running like any other bystander, her body became frozen on the spot. It was a matter of seconds that the riot was coming in her direction. Her eyes doubled in size, seeing people falling to the ground, blood on their bodies. The only thing that came out was a scream as she saw one man stomped on by the other people, not noticing or caring what they were doing.

"S-stop! Stop! You're hurting him!" 

Abigail decided without much thought to helping the man, dropping her bags and pushing her way towards him. She was only a few steps away when she was knocked down by someone. If she had focused on the pain, then she too would be trampled on the floor. 

Well, that and someone pulling her arm up. 

She didn't get a chance to turn and see who had done it. Abigail focused on her body pulled close to the person behind her, leading her out of the chaos. Her hands were shaking violently, several tears streamed down her face. She watched the violence still happening, now more widespread and more people injured. Turning away from the chaos, her eyes met with a strong male chest, who held her close, letting their shirt drench. 

The person led her further away from the chaos, although she never saw that it was only due to the decrease of shouting when she realized. When there were no tears left to cry, she sniffled and tried to wipe her eyes dry. Letting her vision focus again, her eyes widened, seeing how much she ruined their brown button-up and dark chocolate tie. 

"I'm so sorry. Please, let me pay you b-" Abigail's brown eyes finally met with the person who saved her. 

Those familiar brown eyes, it was Victor. Her lips trembled at the realization. What was he doing here?

"Abby, what were you doing there?" She wasn't entitled to answer him, but there was a worried look in his eyes. It was something she was missing for the last three months since that night he came to her house.

As she was going to answer, he stopped her, "You know what, you seem a bit shaken up. You wanna get something to eat or drink? You know, to calm your nerves?" A nod was all she could give, allowing him to take control of her body. 

"Why are you here?" He stopped his tracks, turning back to her, "I was here for police business, and we weren't expecting the rally to break out in such a bad way. We had to all head out early to try and smooth out what was happening. By chance, I saw you, and when you got knocked to the floor, I ran right over."

Victor touched her face, looking at the bruise she received from the protesters. "I guess it was lucky I was here, right?" Abigail's eyes searched for deception in his eyes, whether he wanted to help her or not.

"I guess" it was quiet between the two of them, much left unsaid, but words screamed amid their tension.

"Where would you like to go?" She thought about it for a moment. "Just a small cafe. I wasn't going anywhere expensive." He gave her a smile before taking hold of her hand.

"Wait." He turned back to her with a resolved look on his face, "Shouldn't you help out with what's happened back there? I mean, people are getting hurt pretty badly, trampled on, and everything." 

"No, I mean, it's not my jurisdiction. Besides, the protesters are in the wrong for starting the riot." Although Abigail disagreed, it was just better for her to keep quiet about the situation, not wanting him to be upset. He was in a happy mood. Ruining the moment would bring dire results.

They started to walk down a few blocks before reaching a restaurant, a French one. Full eyebrows creased together, realizing what was happening, "Victor, I said nowhere expensive."

"Don't worry about it, let me just treat you, alright?" Protests were quick to escape her lips, "No, it wouldn't be alright. We're not together anymore. I can't allow you to just treat me to meals on a whim." She pulled her hand out of his grasp, rubbing her wrist, wincing from the strong grip he had.

He went to grab her hand again, but she moved back. "Thank you for helping me out earlier, but if you think it means we're getting back together, I'm sorry to break it to you, but you're sorely mistaken."

The only reaction from him was a sigh, "I guess I really did mess things up, didn't I?"

"Yea, kind of."

"Please, give me another chance Abby! Let me show you that I'm not that man. You know me, I would never do that to you again."

Abigail looked up at his beautiful brown eyes. She saw his hurt, his loneliness he had often told her about being a police officer. She was almost swayed to change her mind, but her instincts were telling her otherwise. "No, I'm sorry, it's not going to happen." She didn't wait for his response this time. Walking away from him was her best option.

She has spun around, Victor having a vice grip on her upper arm.

"You're not going to leave me. Maybe now you might, but mark my words Abigail you'll be mine." He pulled her up close to him. Their bodies touched intimately, "Once we're together again, you'll never leave me."

She was frightened now, hearing his words as a threat towards her. "Victor, you're crazy." She tried to get out of his grip, but he didn't let up until he chose to let go of her.

"Run now. I won't follow you. Just remember that you'll end upright in my arms again."

Without thinking, she ran away from him, down several blocks before turning back to make sure he wasn't there. This day was just not a good day for anyone, she saw death, and now her own life was being threatened. 

Abigail didn't get home till later that evening, exhaustion was what she felt. Entering the home she had grown up in over the last eight years, her mother quickly stopped her at the door, rushing to hug her. "Abby, are you alright?"

She looked at her mother, "Yes, I'm fine. Why?"

"Victor called us not too long ago to make sure you had gotten home safe. He said some riots happened in the area you visited today. Is everything alright? This is why I tell you not to go to unfamiliar places by yourself! You could've been severely hurt if Victor wasn't there."

Abigail grimace hearing her mother say those words. Her mother was a huge supporter of their relationship from the get. She would often commend Victor in his role as a protector of the people in NYC.

"Mommy, I'm fine. I'm just extremely tired. I'm going to bed early, alright?" She rubbed her eyes harshly before heading up the stairs, changing and throwing herself on her bed.

She hated that confrontation she had with Victor. Shudders went down her back, thinking of his last words to her. It made her happy to have left him when she did. There was a lingering thought wondering how long it would last though. It was obvious when he called her home he was weaseling his way in again. What made matters worse was her parents welcoming the advances. 

~~~

When she had gone to work the next day, there was a delivery of flowers for her. All her female coworkers were giddy for the delivery, asking her who was her secret admirer. Abigail read the note attached.

_ My love for you is like the bloom of a rose. Forgive me, and let's make this right, Victor _ .

She rolled her eyes. Seriously, the bloom of a rose? She hated corniness but somehow managed to get herself involved with the king of corniness. As her coworkers took time in admiring the bouquet, she turned and looked out the big windows giving the street view.

She scrunched her forehead a bit, taking note of a familiar shadow across the street. It wasn't Victor, but probably one of his subordinates. Frowning, Abigail took the flowers and quicker dumped them in the trash. Groans and muttering were heard around her, asking why she would do that, but instead of answering, she offered someone the glass vase the flowers arrived in. It was too pretty to throw away. 

~~~

Later that evening, she arrived home greeted by the bags which was left in the chaos the day before. In all truth, Abigail wasn't expecting to see any of it again, nor did she care too. She heard about the massacre and felt terrible hearing about those who were hurt and even died. It scared her a bit, knowing that she could've been one of the victims. Of course, that was where Victor came in and became the sweeping hero again.

"What is this?"

Her mother looked up from the television, "Victor came by earlier and dropped these off. He said you left them yesterday, that was sweet of him, wasn't it? You know better than to be irresponsible to leave things you bought just anywhere. Didn't you learn already when you lost your purse years ago?" 

Abigail rolled her eyes, if her mother had known the reason for her leaving the bags, she wouldn't be saying that. Besides, if it was not for the stolen belongings she would've never met Victor, her ideal son. Abigail decided to ignore her mother's statement and head to the restroom near the kitchen. As she was washing her hands, she heard familiar laughing by two men.

One laugh distinctly belonged to her father, robust and had a slight melody to it. Without even entering the kitchen, she could tell he was sitting down by the table, probably drinking a shandy. Deciding to take a peek, she saw Victor leaning on the counter, a beer in his hand, also laughing along with her father. As she turned to walk away, she saw him look in her direction. 

"Abigail, freshen up yourself a bit. Victor will be staying for dinner tonight." Her eyes widened at the realization of Victor's words coming to pass. Just as she feared, he started with the roots, her parents. He knew their influence over her, and as long they were on his side Abigail would eventually give in. 

The night didn't go as bad as she expected, well up until the very end that it. For the most part, Abigail was quiet. Her parents and brothers were entertained by Victor's 'police catching perps' stories. Everyone tried to pull her into the conversation, but it was to no avail. She wasn't completely rude, so she waited until everyone had finished their meals before helping to clear the dinner table.

It was close to ten when everyone decided to call it a night, meaning that Abigail had to walk Victor to the door and bid him goodnight. She felt his eyes on her, burning holes through the back of her dress. 

They soon stood outside the house, an awkward silence prolonging. Abigail could feel her parents looking at them through the master bedroom window that gave a great view of the front of the house. If she didn't know better, it would've seemed as though her mother was playing matchmaker. 

"Thanks for bringing my stuff. You didn't have to come all this way for that." Shyness overcame her instincts as he took hold of her hand. It wasn't rough like the day before but gentle. "It wasn't any problem, and it did give me a reason to see your family again. I always did get along with your father well." She hated to admit how right he was. His hand holding hers started to move it closer to his lips, allowing him to kiss her hand.

"Abby, please give me another chance. I think everyone can see that we're meant to be together. I am sorry for that night. You know me better than to ever think of doing that again. My jealously is no excuse for treating you in that way, and I can promise you it will never happen again. What do you say?" 

There was a restriction in her heart hearing his plead. Something was off. Despite her better judgment, she did think of everyone else. Her parents were more than pleased with Victor, wanting nothing more than for their reunion.

Now it was the question of whether she was able to trust him like she once did. Abigail finally looked into Victor's expectant eyes wanting to gauge whether he was being genuine or not. A small sigh escaped her lips before giving the answer he wanted to hear. 

"We would have to take it slow, really slow. Just.....please don't make me regret this, Victor." Joy shone in his brown eyes, feeling triumph over winning back Abigail. Out of instincts, he pulled her in for a full, long kiss, grabbing her waist tightly in his arms. Although she was stiff at first, she couldn't help but melt in his arms like she used to. 

That night, she only questioned whether she was making the right choice or risking her life. She only prayed that Victor wasn't putting a front to hide before it was too late.


End file.
